Pimps face 25 years

Inoke Raikadroka, front, and Mohammed Sheefaz Jameer Sagaitu make their way to the Suva courthouse yesterday.Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

TWO men convicted of slavery and domestic trafficking of underaged girls are looking at a lengthy jail term with the court considering the maximum 25-year term.

Inoke Raikadroka, also known as Kiki, and Mohammed Sheefaz Sagaitu, also known as Margie, were convicted by the High Court in Suva yesterday as Justice Paul Madigan agreed with the unanimous guilty opinion of the assessors.

He said the charge of slavery against Raikadroka was proven by the prosecution.

"The offence is proved by the manipulation and subjugation of girls, and especially young girls as they were 15 and 17 years at the time and these girls became the property or products of the first accused for him to exploit by using them to provide sexual services for money that was given to him directly," said Justice Madigan.

"In addition to the circumstances the girls were kept in, there is additional evidence from two independent sources in which the girls were kept, there is additional ownership from two independent sources.

"First in an answer to a question in the caution interview, the first accused said he beautified the girls because they were his products.

"Secondly and crucially there is evidence that the girls were previously under the control of 'Darren' and the circumstances of their going to stay with the first accused suggest that he took control or ownership of them from 'Darren' in full knowledge that they were 'Darren's girls'."

Justice Madigan said the two accused facilitated the transport of the girls for the sole purpose that they performed sexual services for money.

Sentence submissions were also handed to the court with Justice Madigan hinting he was looking to pass sentence similar to that in the rape of a child.